Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newport News, VA
VS
West Palm Beach, FL
🏆 West Palm Beach leads 12 of 23 categories
Newport News
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
West Palm Beach
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $91k less ($233,400 vs $324,800)
Rent averages $405/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,614)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than West Palm Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.6%)
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
22% less violent crime than Newport News
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 49°F
More college-educated — 37.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $324,800
Higher rents — median is $1,614/mo
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Newport News
Key Differences at a Glance
Newport News
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$91k less
$233,400 vs $324,800
Newport News
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.2% unemployment
West Palm Beach
Median Income
$689
$64,044 vs $63,355/yr
West Palm Beach
Violent Crime
22% lower
575.8 vs 736.0 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newport News, VA | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,400 ✓ Lower | $324,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,209 ✓ Lower | $1,614⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $64,044 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter | 23.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.5% | 11.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 162⚠ High | 132⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 152⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 102⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.7% | 37.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport News City Public Schools | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" ✓ Drier | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 185,118 ✓ Larger | 117,588 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 40.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% | 49.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.2% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newport News's cost of living index is 97.4 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, West Palm Beach leads 12 of 23 categories. Newport News wins 11 and West Palm Beach wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Newport News to West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,400 vs $324,800 median home), income ($63,355 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newport News, VA and West Palm Beach, FL are about 744 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.